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Regeneration
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what schemes targeting urban regeneration needs are managed by her Department; how much each scheme has available to invest; what issues each scheme aims to tackle; and how much has been spent annually since 1997 (a) in the United Kingdom, (b) in Teesside, (c) in Redcar and Cleveland and Middlesbrough Councils and (d) in the Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency. [25473]
Alan Johnson: The Department does not operate schemes which explicitly target urban regeneration, although most of those we operate are concerned with competitiveness and jobs, which contribute towards the regeneration of urban areas. In the majority of cases, it is not possible to disaggregate these schemes by area, since they are available nationally in both urban and rural areas.
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements are in place to ensure joined up working to deliver the social regeneration and economic regeneration of the most deprived communities; and if she will make a statement. [25522]
Alan Johnson: I have nothing to add to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary for Transport, Local Government and the Regions today at column 854W.
Renewable Energy
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the Government's forecast is for growth in each type of renewable energy generation. [25631]
9 Jan 2002 : Column: 874W
Mr. Wilson: The Government do not make forecasts for growth in each type of renewable energy generation. How each type will contribute to overall targets for renewable energy will be a matter for the market. An assessment of various possible scenarios for the growth of different renewable energy technologies is made in a report produced for the Department of Trade and Industry in March 1999 entitled "New and Renewable Energy: Prospects in the UK for the 21 Century: Supporting Analysis." A copy is in the Libraries of the House.
The Government have made projections for the total quantity of electricity they expect to be generated from all forms of generation eligible to benefit from the Renewables Obligation in years between now and 2010–11. That information is set out on page 23 of the Statutory Consultation Document on the Renewables Obligation published by my Department in August. A copy of that document, too, is in the Library.
A list of the sources of energy eligible for the Renewables Obligation is on page 13 of the Statutory Consultation Document.
NETA
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the Ofgem review of NETA on small generators' (a) profit and (b) output since the introduction of the scheme. [25630]
Mr. Wilson: Ofgem's report to DTI on the Review of the Initial Impact of NETA on Smaller Generators issued on 31 August 2001, indicated that prices for the export of power from smaller generators had reduced by around 17 per cent. since the introduction of NETA. Ofgem also found export volumes reduced by 44 per cent. compared to a year previously. Ofgem suggested the lower export prices for electricity were one factor, but that higher costs (especially gas prices) may also have contributed.
On 1 November 2001, I issued a consultation document in response to Ofgem's reports "The New Electricity Trading Arrangements—Review of the First Three Months" and "Report to the DTI on the Review of the Initial Impact of NETA on Smaller Generators" of 31 August 2001. This consultation closed on 1 December 2001.
The Government's key proposals are, broadly,
- To ensure imbalance prices are genuinely cost reflective; and
ensure that effective consolidation services emerge.
The Government are carefully considering responses on other proposals set out in their consultation document.
Regional Development Agencies
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will publish biographical details of each
9 Jan 2002 : Column: 875W
board member of each RDA in England, giving in each case the (a) party political links and (b) trade union links that each board member has had. [25788]
Alan Johnson: I announced the reappointed RDA board members to the House on 24 October 2001 and the new appointments to the RDA boards on 11 December 2001. I refer the hon. Member to the answers given in columns 250W and 758–59W respectively and to the biographical details of the board members I placed in the Libraries of the House in connection with those answers. These include details of any party political or trade union links the board members have.
Serco Assurance
Mr. Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representation she has received from employees of Serco Assurance at Winfrith, Dorset, about the loss of full index linked pensions that they enjoyed while working for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. [25391]
Mr. Wilson: None. This is a matter for Serco Assurance and AEA Technology.
Aerospace
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research her Department has conducted into Government research and technology support offered to the aerospace sector in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Germany, (c) the USA, (d) Canada and (e) France; and if she will make a statement. [25313]
Mr. Wilson: In the UK, the DTI's civil aeronautics research programme supports long-term research in key aeronautics technologies by providing grants to industry, research organisations and universities. In March 2001, the then Secretary of State announced the continuation of this programme for five years covering the period from April 2001 to March 2006. Funding for 2001–02 is expected to total £20 million. Future funding of the Department's civil aeronautics research programmes will be determined alongside the funding of other DTI budgets as part of the Department's business support review and the Government's Spending Review 2002.
Additionally, funding for the science base provided through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and related to aerospace research totalled around £14 million in 2000–01.
The DTI also invests in the design and development of major civil aerospace programmes through launch investment. The most recent examples have been for Airbus UK to design and develop the wings for the Airbus A380 superjumbo programme (a Government investment of up to £530 million) and for Rolls-Royce to design and develop the Trent 900 engine for the A380 and the Trent 600 engine for potential future Boeing large aircraft (a Government investment of up to £250 million).
As part of its Applied and Corporate Research Programmes and associated technology demonstrators, the Ministry of Defence spends about £120 million per annum on aerospace-related work for specific defence needs.
We have no directly comparable information for the other countries listed but our best estimate of expenditure on civil aeronautics research equivalent to the UK's civil
9 Jan 2002 : Column: 876W
aircraft research programme is about £60 million for France and £100 million for Germany. These nations also provide Launch Investment for new civil aerospace developments.
In the USA, aeronautical research activity funded through NASA totals several hundred million pounds annually though the USA does not provide Launch Investment for aerospace developments. Canada, under the "Technology Partnerships Canada" programme, has made repayable investments worth around £500 million in the last five years in aerospace and defence projects.
WALES
Departmental Expenditure Limits
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the total unallocated funds within his departmental expenditure limit (a) at the start of the financial year and (b) to date; and what was the month seven forecast on outturn underspend against his departmental expenditure limit in (i) real and (ii) percentage terms. [19438]
Mr. Paul Murphy: My Departmental report, published in March 2001, shows the following allocation of spending for 2001–02 which has not changed since.
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Pay bill and general administrative expenditure | 2,279,000 |
| Lord Lieutenants' expenditure | 30,000 |
| North Wales Child Abuse tribunal wind-up costs | 546,000 |
| Receipts | - 9,000 |
| Capitals | 766,000 |
| Total | 3,612,000 |
At the mid year point my Department did not anticipate any appreciable underspend.
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